Burning Consequences
by RoseKatnissWeasley7
Summary: "I made my choice a long time ago, I'm not gonna leave you." That led to him sitting by her bedside for days, praying she would wake soon the whole time.


**A/N: I was just sitting there in social studies today, reading from the textbook and then the word jumps out at me off the page:**

** CENTURION**

**Why the feels? It hurts so much…gods, I sobbed as bad as Doomsday/Stolen Earth-Journey's End/End of Time…**

**Anyway, it started my usual Doctor Who train of thought which always leads to the Doctor and Rose at some point, and I came up with this and basically started writing it during class while the rest of the class got the answers together and I just copied them down as needed.**

**This takes place either before Doomsday or in a universe where Doomsday never HAPPENED, which I would be TOTALLY COOL WITH.**

**And oh my freaking god I loved writing this so much. I had a ridiculous fangirl smile on my face the whole time, I've been working on it for like three days and I'm super proud of it. I think it came out really well.**

**~DW~**

It normally starts with a perfect day, a peaceful trip, and no threat of danger. Today was the opposite.

"So, where are we going today, Doctor?" Rose asked, excited, the usual smile crossing her face as she thought of their adventures.

"Actually, I got a message on the psychic paper, from a race I helped out ages ago. Saved the world from mass destruction, you know, the usual," the Doctor replied. "They need some help, it sounds pretty serious." He handed her the wallet that held the psychic paper, and she read the words that flashed on the paper.

_We need you, Doctor. Please come, quickly. _

"Okay," Rose said. "Off we go, then." The Doctor smiled.

"I promise I'll take you somewhere fun tomorrow, to make up for it," he said, getting out from his position under the TARDIS console where he was doing more unnecessary repair work, as usual.

"Really, Doctor, I don't mind," Rose insisted. He grinned at her.

"Hold on tight!" he exclaimed, yanking on a lever, sending them flying off through the Time Vortex.

**~DW~**

"Doctor, I thought you said they needed our help. Do you see anything wrong?" Rose inquired as they stepped out of the TARDIS into a bustling marketplace. Aliens, that looked much like humans, but with pink skin and dark blue-tinged hair, ran about, presumably running errands or just shopping for fun.

The Doctor looked extremely confused. "Actually, no, I don't." Just as he finished his sentence, an alien on the smaller side ran up to the Doctor and tugged on Rose's jeans. She looked down in surprise.

"Can I help you?" she asked kindly.

"You are Rose and the Doctor?" the alien asked.

"Yes, that's us," the Doctor replied for her. "Are you the one who sent me this message?" he asked, holding up the psychic paper.

The alien nodded. "Please come with me." He took Rose's hand and dragged her along, and Rose used her free hand to grab the Doctor's sleeve, tugging him forward and entwining their fingers. He smiled slightly.

The alien led them down an alleyway, and through the more twisted and confusing streets. The hustle of the market disappeared, leaving a creepy, dark, damp path that they followed underground. Torches lined the walls, the fire the only light provided. Rose squinted slightly as her eyes adjusted to the darker area. She subconsciously held the Doctor's hand tighter as they walked further underground.

The three reached a curved wooden door with a rusted metal knocker. The small alien reached up to use it, tapping a specific pattern. The door opened slightly. Rose gave the Doctor a worried look, not liking the situation much. He gave her a small, reassuring smile, whispering in her ear as he led her through the door.

"These people can be trusted. It's okay." Rose relaxed slightly. If the Doctor trusted them, so did she.

The lights were a bit brighter in the large room they entered, but still awfully dim. The walls were the same dark gray rock as the tunnel they had walked through. A group of the pink aliens sat at a big wooden circular table, and more torches lined the walls, but added to the display were quite a few swords mounted on the walls. Rose noted that several all of the aliens also had weapons attached to their belts.

"Welcome, Doctor and Rose. I am Meel, leader of the Fauth Fighters," said a tall alien that stood at the head of the table. The Doctor and Rose just nodded in greeting, as if telling him to get on with it. "Have you heard of our organization before?"

Rose shook her head and the Doctor nodded. He turned to her. "They're basically a secret army that protects the city from threats unknown to the public," he explained to her. She nodded in understanding.

The Doctor turned back to Meel. "What exactly did you call us here for?" he asked curiously. Meel's face hardened. She gazed at the Doctor for a long moment before answering.

"The inhates," she said coldly.

**~DW~**

The Doctor's eyes immediately widened, and he took a small step back. He had encountered the inhates before. He saw the confused look on Rose's face.

"They're rogue aliens, Rose," he said slowly, and her attention snapped over to him. "They go after any other species that they have a grudge against, no matter how small. They're on the other side of the galaxy from Earth, so there's never really been a problem with them on your planet, but I've seen…" he cut off for a moment, swallowing before he continued. "They've destroyed countless civilizations. Their touch burns anyone, everyone but their own kind."

Rose watched as the Doctor spoke, noting the way his voice sounded and how he refused to look into her eyes, concluding that something was seriously wrong.

"They can be stopped, can't they?" she asked quietly. Meel cut in, holding out a sword he had drawn from his belt.

"Only with these," he explained solemnly. "The metal is extremely rare and hard to find, but we've managed to gather a few hundred swords. This is the only way we can stop them. We've deducted that they will attack here first, because they travel underground, and we are the only ones who have access to the area."

"You need help fighting?" the Doctor asked. The entire group of aliens just nodded. "I…"

The smaller alien who had led the Doctor and Rose underground earlier burst through the door.

"They're coming! The inhates, they're coming!" All the aliens immediately drew their weapons, and hurried outside.

"Doctor, take the extra weapons on the table," Meel directed. The Doctor nodded, and Meel rushed out, leaving him alone in the room with Rose. She began to reach for a sword, but he grabbed her arm tightly, spinning her to face him and grabbing her other arm as well, bending down slightly to look her directly in the eyes.

"Rose," he began, but she cut him off.

"Don't, Doctor, please. Don't tell me to stay here while you're out there fighting," she begged.

"Rose, you have to stay," he demanded, "I'm not going to let you get hurt!"

"I can deal with a couple of burns!" she shouted. "I'm not a child!"

"You wouldn't just get burned!" he shouted back. "There's a chance that if they touch you, even the slightest bit, they could _kill_ you, Rose! I'm not going to take that chance! Stay here!"

"Doctor," Rose said calmly. "I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm not gonna _leave_ you." She stared into his eyes, willing him to know that she meant every word.

The Doctor's face softened. His grip on her forearms loosened and he straightened back to his normal height, silently pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her. Her arms came around his waist and she leaned her head on his chest.

"Okay," he whispered, finally agreeing. "Just promise me you'll be extra careful."

"I will, I promise," Rose said quietly. He released her and pulled back, looking into her eyes again, and she saw the unease swirling within him.

"I _promise_, Doctor," she said, more firmly the second time. He gave a weak smile and a small nod. He reached his arm behind her and grabbed a sword, leaning it against his side so that the tip touched the dirt floor. His eyes followed Rose's arm as she reached to pick one up as well, wincing slightly. He didn't like the idea or Rose even laying a finger on a weapon. She was too young, too innocent.

"Let's go," she said, walking to the door, and her stared after her for a moment before following, praying to every god he could think of that she would be alright.

**~DW~**

The two companions stepped out into the damp tunnel and found a place along with the others in the formation that guarded the door. Everything was deathly silent until there was a hissing and clicking sound.

"At arms," whispered Meel, and everyone raised their weapons and shields that were given to them. Rose listened carefully to the approaching sound, her heart pounding with anticipation. The creature that rounded the corner was hideous.

It was completely black, standing at the height of an average human. However, rather than a usual face, it had several eyes and a mouth that held yellowing, pointed teeth where a chin would be. It stood on long black legs, and a pair of arms just like a human, but then an extra pair just beneath the first.

The creature hissed, and jumped at one of the pink aliens, who immediately defended themselves. More creatures rounded the corner and every individual had a fight of their own to win. Rose did the best she could, slashing and jabbing wherever she could, careful not to let the monster touch her. She lost track of time as the fight wore on, until there were only four creatures left. Unfortunately, by that time, there were also only four of them left standing, including her, the Doctor, Meel, and another pink alien whose name Rose didn't know. Everything was silent for a moment, until the monsters opened their mouths and hissed in unision. Then they attacked.

The Doctor knew what he was doing with a sword, which was a great advantage he had. He could move and manipulate it any way he needed to, and with a final slash, his creature fell to the ground. He raced over to help Meel, as he was the closest, and as the monster fell to the ground, he heard a sound that chilled his hearts, spinning around as fast as lightning.

"ROSE!"

**~DW~**

He ran as fast as he could to her, throwing his sword to the ground on the way and falling to his knees when he reached her. She clutched at her wrist, shaking uncontrollably. He grabbed her hands with his right and his left came to her shoulder. He looked into her eyes.

"Rose! Focus on me, Rose! Please, please, look at me, Rose!" he begged.

She tried her best, fighting to stay awake, holding the Doctor's hand like a life source. It felt like she was on fire, and all she was conscious of was the pain, on her arm, on her neck, and across her stomach.

"Doctor," she choked out, crying for him. "Doctor!"

"I'm right here, I'm right here, Rose, please, don't leave me, not now, not today!" he cried. "You're going to be okay, I promise, you're going to be okay. Trust me."

"Yes," she said, her entire body still trembling. The Doctor let go of her hands and pulled his sonic out of his jacket pocket, scanning over her quickly. He face fell even further as he looked at the readings.

"Doctor," Meel said, dragging him out of his thoughts. "Bring her into the room."

"Rose, I have to move you," he told her. "I'm sorry." He got onto her left side, his right arm sliding under her back and his other arm sliding under her knees so he could pick her up bridal style. He whispered comforting words in her ear when she cried out, half-conscious, and carried her through the door that Meel held open. He laid her on the table carefully, trying his best not to hurt her further.

"I need to get her back to the TARDIS," he said to Meel urgently, still holding onto Rose's left hand with his own. "Do you have any anesthetic? I don't want her to be in pain."

"Of course, Doctor. Thank you," Meel said. He rushed off to the other room and the Doctor stared at Rose's face, brushing her hair out of the way. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow and quick, clearly an effort for her. He looked at the burn on her arm more closely. It was harsh, and he knew it would be extremely painful for her. He swallowed thickly, telling himself to hold it together. He took note of another bad burn that curved down the right side of her neck, and the last he could find ran across her lower abdomen. He rubbed his face with his hands.

"Doctor," Rose moaned. "Stay." He brushed hair off her sweaty forehead.

"I'm right here Rose, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, not without you," he whispered furiously.

Meel came back with the anesthetic he had asked for, and he swabbed her right shoulder before injecting her.

"Thank you, Meel," the Doctor said quickly, immediately going to pick up Rose. He positioned her so they were chest to chest, her good arm slung around his neck and her head lying on his shoulder. His right arm wrapped around her and held her shoulder, while his left supported her from underneath. Meel held the door open for him, and the Doctor made his way back through the dark tunnel as quickly as he could, passing by the group of aliens who were fixing each other up. He would have been worried for them, under different circumstances.

But right now, they were not his main priority.

**~DW~**

"TARDIS, open up, it's an emergency," the Doctor said urgently to his ship. He wasn't surprised when several passerby gave him strange looks; he was talking to a police box.

The ship must have understood something was wrong, because she let him straight in, waves of concern and confusion radiating off of her into the Doctor's mind. He rushed to the infirmary, which the TARDIS moved so it was the first room around the corner and he didn't need to walk far.

He laid Rose down on one of the beds gently, scanning her once more for any changes. Her body was fighting to fix itself, but it had no idea how. The Doctor searched through the cabinets, tossing things aside and out of the way, focused only on finding what Rose needed. He sighed with relief when he found the right medication, but he still had a lot of work to do.

The Doctor lost track of time as he treated Rose, working as quickly as he could. He hooked up an IV to her arm, transferring the medicine directly into her bloodstream, then set to work on bandaging her wounds. He brushed her hair out of the way and used a wet cloth to clean her neck before he covered it. He then moved on to her arm and abdomen, careful not to hurt her. He didn't want to move her any more than her had to so not to make it worse.

At one point, the Doctor realized there was nothing more he could do. He did another quick scan, to see if the medication had kicked in, and was relieved to see that it had slowly started to work. All he could do then was wait. He pulled up a chair next to Rose's bed and grasped her hand gently, looking at her pale face and the bruises that had marked her arms and legs. He brought his head down to the bed next to her, leaning on their entwined hands.

_Please, Rose,_ he willed to her. _Please get better. Please get better, you have to. I don't wa – no. I can't live without you. You mean too much._

He didn't know how long he sat there beside her, watching her breathe in and out. He couldn't go anywhere for more than a few minutes at a time before her started worrying. He didn't sleep at all, just stayed and watched her. That's all he could do, all he wanted to do, was be with her, reassuring him that she was still there, and she was still alive. Then all at once, exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep.

**~DW~**

Rose's eyes fluttered open slowly, and she tried to move. Pain shot up and down her body and she cried out.

Beside her in a chair, the Doctor woke up, his eyes running from her feet to her face. They widened when he saw that she was awake.

"Rose!" he cried softly. He stood up, leaning over her, his hand cradling the good side of her head. She leaned into him, closing her eyes. "Oh you're awake, I was so worried, how do you feel? Do you need anything?"

"Water," she rasped out, opening her eyes again. He nodded.

"I'll be right back," he promised, rushing off to the kitchen.

Rose was extremely confused. Why was she in the infirmary? What had happened? She racked her brain for answers. Then it all came back to her, and she remembered everything.

"Ah," she said, wincing, as she tried to adjust herself in the bed.

"Hey, careful there, don't hurt yourself worse," the Doctor told her from the doorway. He walked over to her and set the glass of water he had retrieved on the bedside table. He proceeded to hold her up as she used her legs to push herself into a different, more comfortable position. Then he handed her the glass of water, which she gulped down quickly.

"Better," she said happily, her voice more clear. "Thank you."

"How do you feel, Rose?" the Doctor asked expectantly.

"Honestly? Like I got run over six busses, fell out of a plane into a pit of rocks, and got trampled on by a stampede of horses," she told him. He opened his mouth and closed it again, and then she laughed. The Doctor relaxed slightly. She was making jokes, which was a good sign.

"It could be worse, Doctor. I could be dead," she pointed out. He looked at her sharply.

"No. I wouldn't let that happen," he said forcefully. She gazed at him for a long moment, before yawning. Her eyes widened.

"Doctor…how long was I asleep?" she asked.

"About three days," he answered.

"Where did you go while I was out?" she asked, curious. He was just extremely confused.

"What do you mean, 'where did I go'? Was I supposed to go somewhere?"

"Well, you obviously got bored and went somewhere. You, sitting still for three days? Not very likely," Rose laughed slightly, before wincing.

His look changed to one of disbelief, and his tone took on the same quality when he spoke.

"You think I would just leave you here? I stayed right next to you, the whole time!"

She gave him the same 'are you serious?' look he had just given her.

"Why would you stay here the whole time? It's not very exciting at all," she said.

"If it were me, would you do the same?" he asked. She looked at him for a long moment then nodded.

"Of course, but you…" she started, but he held up a hand. He sighed as he slunk down in the chair next to her. He grasped her hand in his and gazed into her eyes.

"Rose Tyler," he said quietly, "I made my choice a long time ago. I'm not gonna leave you."

Rose turned her head away and stared at the wall on the other side of the room, painfully aware of him watching her. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes watered, tears threatening to spill.

"Doctor," she choked out, "Please tell me you aren't just saying that because you think it's what I want to hear."

"Rose, please look at me," he said, his voice husky. She shook her head slightly, and a few tears escaped.

"Please, Rose, come on," he pushed persistently.

She turned her head back to him, but her eyes fell to her hands in her lap, where she picked at her nails. The Doctor's hands came up to cradle her face, and he turned her head for her. Rose still refused to look into his eyes, choosing to stare at the white sheets on the bed. He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears.

"When I heard you scream, I thought I had lost you for good," he admitted. "I've never been so scared in my life, and I've been alive for nine hundred years, Rose. My first thought was that you never even knew how much you meant to me." He paused when she finally looked into his eyes, searching for answers, begging for something that would show her that he was telling her the truth. He continued. "You would never know how much I lo…" he swallowed. "How much I love you."

Rose inhaled sharply at those words. Since the day he took her hand and told him to run, that had been exactly what she wanted to hear. "Do you mean that? Do you really mean that?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Every word, Rose. I love you, I love you, I love you. I love you so much it terrifies me, and I was being an idiot before. That was the worst mistake of my life," he whispered. "From this point forward, no more pretending. No more hiding from this. The last thing I want is to have any regrets, _especially_ when it comes to you."

She started to lean toward him, her good arm sliding behind his neck and into his hair, and he leaned forward even more so she didn't hurt herself. Their lips met for the first time, finally, for real. His arms slid around her, one reaching around to hold her waist and the other running its way through her silky hair. Everything they had kept bottled up, hidden inside came pouring out and it was so wonderful they never wanted it to end. Eventually they both had the need to breathe, so they pulled away panting slightly and beaming.

"I love you too, you _idiot,_" she said. "All this time, since the first day." If it was even possible, he smiled wider.

"I'm so glad I met you," he told her.

She leaned in toward him again, whispering her response.

"Me too."


End file.
